People can hurt their brains in a variety of different ways. Contact sports are a major cause of brain injury, as are falls. Motor vehicle collisions are also a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Frequently, those involved in a crash might leave the scene without reporting a brain injury or seeking medical care because they don’t recognize the early warning signs of a TBI until their condition progresses.
Anyone who regularly drives or rides in a motor vehicle might benefit from learning about the possible symptoms of a TBI because of how common they are after crashes. Why do car wrecks so often result in brain injuries?
The brain is incredibly delicate
The human brain consists primarily of fatty tissue, which does not hold up well during violent motion or physical trauma. The skull is one of the strongest and thickest bones in the human body in part because it serves to protect the vulnerable brain from trauma. However, the skull can also cause brain injuries if there is bruising or swelling of the brain. The skull is immovable, and increased pressure inside of the skull due to a traumatic injury could lead to worsening symptoms as time passes after a collision.
Crashes can cause injuries in multiple ways
Car crashes are also a common source of TBIs in part because of how many different ways they can generate such injuries. Obviously, if someone hits their head and steering wheel or a window in the vehicle, the blunt force trauma that they sucker could lead to a brain injury. There are many other scenarios in which a crash might cause a brain injury. These include situations involving violent motions, like a vehicle rollover. An explosion could also injure someone’s brain with percussive force or by creating flying debris that could cause penetrating injuries.
Given that the brain is so vulnerable and that there are so many ways for a crash to injure it, those involved in high-speed collisions or crashes that caused massive damage to a vehicle may benefit from seeking medical evaluation to determine if they are at risk of a brain injury following a collision. Understanding why brain injuries are so common after crashes may help people better handle the legal aftermath of a recent wreck as well.